greed

noun

: a selfish and excessive desire for more of something (such as money) than is needed
motivated by naked ambition and greed

Examples of greed in a Sentence

He was a ruthless businessman, motivated by naked ambition and greed. don't let greed for riches control you
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
You might be tempted to blame greed for the nonrefundability crisis. Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025 Like the classic John Huston film, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, once the unlikely astronauts reach the asteroid, greed takes over with inevitable results. Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 So there’s definitely a greed element to this that is not inconsistent with the way that people acted in Alien. Lynette Rice, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2025 The Belgian colony had been synonymous with colonial greed since Leopold’s days, and the government remained defensive, paranoid about criticism. Big Think, 26 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for greed

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from greedy

First Known Use

1609, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of greed was in 1609

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Greed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/greed. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

greed

noun
: selfish desire for food, money, or possessions over and above one's needs

More from Merriam-Webster on greed

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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